This morning I was in Psalm 139. This is fast becoming my favorite chapter in the Psalter. I read the psalm in the Hebrew. A couple of things stood out to me and perhaps I could share them with you.
First, note the emphasis in verse 8: "If I ascend into heaven, there -- YOU! And if I make my bed in hell, behold -- YOU!"
Wherever I am -- YOU!! I love that emphasis. Secondly, verse 24 reads literally: "And see if there is any way of pain in me."
In other words, "See if there is anything in me that would cause you to grieve or require repentance on my part."
A blessing and a challenge. The blessing is God's presence wherever I find myself. The challenge is to be sensitive to his Spirit within me as he brings conviction of sin.
Well, as always, when I read the Bible in the original languages, I gain a renewed appreciation for men like Moses and David and Paul and Luke who wrestled God's revelation into Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. They all seem to be distinguished by a belief in the power of words to bring their readers into the presence of God and to change lives. I am ever so grateful for them.